


And Sleep Comes At Once

by iamfitzwilliamdarcy



Series: Prompted Fics [15]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-21
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-10-22 00:16:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10685847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamfitzwilliamdarcy/pseuds/iamfitzwilliamdarcy
Summary: Prompt: For the fluff ask thing: bedsharing and puppy sleeping pile with two characters of your choiceCass finds Tim, and Dick finds them; taking care of her brothers is sometimes as easy as sleep.





	And Sleep Comes At Once

It wasn’t often that she and Tim were at the Manor at the same time; it wasn’t often that she and Tim were at the Manor at all, but Dick had invited her over before he took her out to the ballet that evening.

She didn’t know why Tim was here, secluded away in a guest room, dusty with disuse. He seemed slumped, even when he stood straight, even since Bruce had been back. 

Sad, she thought. Tired. A slump. 

He was spread out on the bed, laptop open, notebooks scattered around him. She peeked before he noticed her. Schoolwork. He was focused, concentrated, but with a level of unconscious unconcern–more important things to think about. 

He looked up suddenly, and smiled. Genuine, happy to see her, slightly strained. Stilly slumpy. Stressed? 

Cass moved, climbed into the bed next to him, and he shoved his books to the side, shut his laptop, shifted over slightly. Space–because he wanted it or because he thought it was supposed to be there? He didn’t know and so Cass couldn’t tell. 

“Cold,” she said, and snuggled down under the covers. He didn’t join her, just leaned against the backboard, closing his eyes. 

“You have a nice dress on,” he told her. 

She waved a hand unconcerned. Then reached out and took his hand. Tugged. “Cold,” she repeated. He complied, slid in under the covers next to her. Let her cuddle up next to him. She knew what it was like to not know what to do with this kind of touch. 

He was taller than she was, warm and solid. But too thin. Hadn’t been eating enough. 

His breathing was already slowing when he said, almost mumbling, “Don’t you and Dick have plans?”

“Shh,” she said back. He didn’t want to talk about the things bothering him. And she was tired too. 

She liked the quiet, but she missed how he used to chatter. She’d missed her brother.

She worried the slump was permanent. Irrevocable. 

Tim relaxed slightly against her, his slow breath tickling her neck. She twisted to look at him. Even asleep, the tenseness lingered, the slump. She frowned. Lifted her fingers to rub circles on his neck; he sighed a little, shifted towards the touch. 

He hadn’t been asleep very long when Dick, dressed near immaculate in a suit, rounded the corner and came to an abrupt halt. 

“I didn’t actually think I’d find you in here,” he said, rubbing his neck. Surprised. 

Cass held a finger up to her lips. Pointed her eyes to Tim and back at Dick. He didn’t move but something shifted. Softened, she thought, saddened. 

Something’s broken between them. She hoped it wasn’t irreparable. 

She held out a hand to Dick, waggling her fingers, and he came closer. “You got him to sleep.”

She nodded. Rolled a new word around in her mouth before letting it out. “Exhausted.” A good word. It fit Tim.

Dick reached a hand out to Tim’s hair, a brush so gentle, so hesitant, it barely touched. Fond. Nervous. 

She took the moment to study him. Exhausted too, smudges dark under his eyes (and still he’d invited her out). Weighted, but not slumped. He looked older. 

When he drew back from Tim, she reached out and tugged his hand too. 

“Tired,” she insisted, and he shook his head, smiling. 

“I guess no ballet tonight?”

She grinned up at him. “Sorry.”

“You are not.” But he said it and it sounded like a laugh. Laugh turned yawn and he added, “Oh alright. But only for a moment.” Settled in on Tim’s other side, let his arm wrap around him, rest lightly on Cass. Pressed a kiss to Tim’s hair, leaned over him to press another to her forehead.

She could feel some type of relief there. He had missed them too. 

Dick had long fallen asleep, and Cass was nearly dozing herself when Bruce found them. She watched him linger in the doorway. Still, watching himself. Hesitant, but a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Abruptly, he propelled himself away from the wall, towards the far end of the bed. Set about taking off Dick’s suit jacket, his shoes. Slung them over nearby chair. Kicked Tim’s abandoned books away from the bed.

“Fire hazard,” he mouthed, catching her watching. A joke. She smiled.

He smoothed Dick’s hair back, let his hand linger. Looked at Tim, and–Cass could read awkward. Still, after a pause, he let his hand rest on Tim’s head. Only a moment, then gone. 

She watched him come to her side, eyebrows raised in question.

“Nap,” she answered. Smiled again and shook her head–nodded at the boys. “Tired.” She frowned, squinting up at Bruce. He’d been working hard since he’d come back. “You too,” she said. 

He shook his head, but she gripped his arm with both her hands, yanked a little. He didn’t topple because he was Bruce and he was Batman and she didn’t try very hard, but he did shift his balance a little.

“Stay,” she insisted. Yawned for effect. “Tired too. Keep watch” Yanked his arm again and he relented. Shifted in on her side.

She promptly rested her head against his chest. She had words for this now, being surrounded by her family. Safe. Comfort. Love. They were good words, words she held close. 

Snuggled deeper into Bruce, laced her fingers with Tim. Let herself fall asleep. 

Safe. Loved.


End file.
